Crede's grand slam leads White Sox over Twins

CHICAGO (Ticker) - A broken-bat grand slam is a sure sign a
player is on a hot streak.

Third baseman Joe Crede remained on such a streak Monday with a
grand slam that led the Chicago White Sox to a 7-4 victory over
the Minnesota Twins in their home opener at U.S. Cellular Field.

"It doesn't matter what the bat does, it's all about the ball,"
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said

The home run extended the White Sox's winning streak to five -
their longest since August of 2006 - and left them at 5-2 and
alone in first place in the AL Central.

Crede, who endured offseason back surgery and training camp
trade rumors, came into the home opener batting .375 (9-for-24)
with six RBI. He had two more hits Monday, including his second
home run of the season on a fastball off righthander Pat
Neshek.

"After I hit it, I didn't think it had enough," Crede said. "It
was definitely high enough, especially coming off my bat, the
way my bat shattered with the way I hit it.

"But ... if you hit anything in the air, it's definitely got a
shot with the way the wind plays here in this stadium."

Crede deposited Neshek's 1-0 inside fastball over the left-field
wall in the seventh inning after Jermaine Dye had tied the game
at 3-3 with a single to center off Neshek.

"What are you going to do?" Neshek said. "I feel like I hit the
spots I wanted to, but the ball just didn't bounce my way
today. Joe Crede is a great hitter."

Crede, a free agent at the end of the season, had been the
subject of trade rumors because Josh Fields had hit 23 home runs
last year as his replacement. But Crede is in Chicago, Fields
in the minor leagues and no one is talking about trades now.

"Sometimes the best trade you make is the one you don't," White
Sox general manager Ken Williams said prior to the game.

Crede agreed.

"It's a great feeling to be here and hopefully I'm still here
for years to come," he said.

Crede's grand slam was the fifth of his career. He also has
five career game-ending home runs.

"Joe has always seemed like at the end of the line he's been a
Mr. Clutch," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who was
ejected in the third inning following an argument with
home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi.

"He's a guy you want out there a lot of times when the game is
on the line because he's done it before."

Crede said he would rather hit with the game in the balance.

"Your focus is that much greater, it seems, than earlier in the
game, especially for me," Crede said. "Late in the game, your
focus is up and you're bearing down."

The White Sox withstood an eighth-inning rally when Delmon
Young's single off Scott Linebrink scored Denard Span, who had
doubled. Bobby Jenks took over with a 7-4 lead and allowed one
hit in the ninth for his fourth save.

White Sox pitcher Javier Vazquez (1-1) overcame a rough start,
in which he gave up RBI doubles to Mike Lamb in the second and
fourth innings, and an RBI single to Joe Mauer in the first to
put Chicago in a 3-1 hole. He allowed the first three leadoff
hitters he faced to reach base.

Vazquez gave up seven hits and walked one, but struck out eight
in seven innings. He retired the side in order in the fifth,
sixth and seventh innings.

"For me, aggressiveness is the key - being aggressive in the
strike zone and throwing quality pitches and when I don't do
that and stay behind in the count and leadoff guys are getting
on, it's tough to win," Vazquez said.

Nick Blackburn started for the Twins, leaving after five innings
after he had allowed seven hits and two walks. The rookie
struck out five, including Paul Konerko in the third inning.

After his second strike on Konerko, Guillen charged out of the
dugout and argued with Cuzzi before being tossed.

It wasn't the first disagreement between the two. Last July 31,
Cuzzi tossed Guillen from a road game with the Yankees, causing
Guillen to remark later, " .. I'm going to be suspended, but
this umpire will keep on (messing with) people."

After the win, Guillen's anger had subsided.

"I'm here for my players," he said. "If I don't think they give
the right call then that's my job to protect them."

Guillen had little else to say about Cuzzi. "I don't want to
waste my time talking about that guy," he said.

However, Guillen couldn't resist one other jab. He said he was
in the locker room on the computer when Crede homered.